October 5, 2017

Oh-em-gee: The Eye Doctor

I couldn't think of a title and ohemgee is the only thought I have after this experience. It's a nicer way to say WTF, I suppose.

I order enough contact lenses to get me far past that annual eye doctor exam. Prescriptions are only good for one year. After that, 1-800-CONTACTS will not send you any more. I frontload lenses for this reason. I'm proactive like that.

I realized two weeks ago that I was about out of contacts. I can't wear glasses. Therefore, I called the eye doctor I went to at the PX on Ft. Carson since we've been in Colorado. No answer. I drove there after work one day. They were spontaneously shut down apparently and that was the end of that.

I called a place in Fountain to set up an appointment. I drive by it every day on my way to work and there's no need to make life exponentially difficult, so that was my reasoning.

I showed up on appointment day, last Wednesday, and they had double-booked or accidentally put me down for an appointment at another location or something like that so...no appointment for me. I re-scheduled for this past Monday. It didn't really bother me because I hate going to the eye doctor anyway.

I went in on Monday after work. Everything went smoothly enough at first. Then the doctor said I was likely overcorrected and he wanted to lower the strength. I get that; for the last few years, my eyes have stabilized a bit and my astigmatism corrected itself somewhere between Missouri and Colorado and that was fine and all. So whatever, lower the dosage. He lowered my right eye from -2.00 to -1.25, which he admitted was a big jump but he thought it would settle after a few days. It seemed alright at first. It was a little uncomfortable Monday night but I looked forward to it "settling" on Tuesday.

It did not "settle" on Tuesday. I spent the day in a blurry haze. This might be okay in some peoples' situations...but I spend my days reading and writing. I could give you the big long list of things that were not easily done, but I basically couldn't read my own whiteboard, blackboard, or charts from across the room. It was terrible. I would've taken those contacts out if I'd had any other options but my old contacts and glasses were both at home. There was a moment where I considered leaving at lunch, but sub plans are a greater evil than poor vision.

I walked myself back into the eye doctor after work. They said they'd take a look when I'd called to ask about adjusting things (which I did around 9:15am).

I explained that I had a headache, my eyes ached, I couldn't focus, or, you know, do my job, etc.
She (the tech) seemed to think that another brand of contacts would solve my problem. I said that would be an odd recommendation because I'd worn this brand for 10 years. She said she'd be right back.

She gave me two new contacts (while being all secretive about the process of what they could/would do to help this situation) and told me to put them in. As it took me two tries to get one in, I said After twenty years, you'd think I'd be better at this, mainly to get the point across that I've worn contacts for TWENTY years and I understand how contacts are supposed to work. I checked the power before I put them in...it was my old prescription: -2.00 on the right and -3.25 on the left.

She asked me how they felt and I said they were just fine because they were my old prescription and she said Are they? How do they feel? and I'm thinking B*tch, we don't need to play games here. She then asked me why my hands were red (as if THAT had anything to do with it...my hands either get red or they get pale and cold when I'm stressed out...the acupuncturist said it's a yin-yang balance issue...fun fact: it took three different people about 8 tries to get an IV in a few months ago).
I didn't take that question well.

Finally, she left and the doctor came in. He asked the same dumb questions she did and then said he'd like to give me a -1.50 to try on the right, and then a -1.75 if that didn't work. He admitted it might take some time to get used to a newer prescription and something something something.

I had stopped listening at that point. I said, idon'twanttodothis.
He said, Okay, we'll get you back in your old prescription.
I'm pretty sure I scared him into thinking I was going to cry.

Hopefully, by the next time I'm forced into going to the eye doctor (forced by an expired prescription), we'll live somewhere else.

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Linking up with Kristen today for What's New With You?


What's New With You


Here's some blog posts about all the new stuff that's been happening around here lately.

A series of unfortunate events.
Fall TV is a go
We're kind of moving to Wyoming
and a shameless plug for The #GreatPumpkinSwap (sign-ups end tomorrow night!)



What's new with you???

13 comments:

  1. Oh, no. I can't stand bad attitudes just in general but especially not from someone who you're paying! I'm glad you got it sorted in the end so that you can, you know, function properly and work and stuff, but I hope you get better service next time. Wherever that may be.

    I'm a fellow bad-vein-er. It's miserable, isn't it?

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  3. Oh gosh, these people are crazy and not very helpful/nice, it sounds like. I'm glad you got your old prescription back at least but man, that's a lot to deal with. I really need to go to the eye doctor. I don't think my eyes have really changed, but I DO need new glasses as it's been years now. I really don't want to deal with it though. haha

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  4. I've worn glasses for the last 9 years for this very reason. I'm so sick of effing around with contacts and contact prescriptions and doctors who apparently don't understand what "I can't see" and "these feel like sand in my eyes" or "I think these are too big for my eyes" means. I've worn glasses since I was five and contacts since I was 13, I think I know when one isn't working for me. When we move back to Seattle I'll try again.

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  5. Oh Lord... you have my anxiety all a mess. I go to the eye doctor in a few days & I ALWAYYYYYYS have issues with it. & I wanted to try contacts this time for the first time in my life. Now I'm seeing what a nightmare that can be too. I'm mentally preparing myself now.

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  6. That's sounds horrible. I can't get the stupid contacts in my eyes so I've worn glasses since junior high, I hope you can go to another doctor next time.

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  7. oh my goodness, what a horrible experience. i'd be livid. the last time i went to the eye doctor was right before i moved here, so january 2012. my eyes have absolutely gotten worse so i know i need to go back but i seriously don't even know where to start. i feel like the process is different here. i have never worn contacts, i'm sure i could if i had to/wore them everyday, but it's one of those things that make me think 'i could never do that'. i'm not good with touching eyes lol.

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  8. UGH. Vision, who needs it?
    I just got contacts for the first time early this year - last year I got glasses for the first time, because my vision is perfect within 20' but outside of that it gets fuzzy. Not blurred, I just can't see detail, so like I don't see individual leaves on trees and can't read street signs from very far away.
    Anyway, because my eyesight isn't terrible, last year I only got glasses because I only really use them when driving or out shopping or outside. But then I realized I can't both wear sunglasses and see while outside, so this year I got contacts.
    I have astigmatism in BOTH eyes. So they gave me astigmatism contacts for both eyes, told me to wear them for a week and they'd recheck me to see how they worked out.
    My right eye ITCHED like CRAZY. DROVE ME NUTS. I wore the contacts twice, then wore them a third time to the eye doctor for my re-check and he said(I still can't believe this was uttered) "Yeah your astigmatism in that eye is pretty severe, it's probably too oval for the contact to sit on your eye, so your eye is getting scratched by the astigmatism contact."
    My eye is TOO astigmatic? Because of course it is.
    So now I have one astigmatism contact and one not and they're fine, I guess.
    Next year I'm getting prescription sunglasses because I don't love contacts enough to deal with wearing them.
    Also I perpetually forget to put them in BEFORE I put on makeup. That's a whole other adventure.

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  9. What an awful experience! I get so frustrated when people try to change things that have no need to be changed!

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  10. Lasik is pretty awesome... hahaha

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  11. Cmon you know that they are the professionals and we know NOTHING about our own bodies ;)

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  12. Oh my goodness! That's awful! What is wrong with this place?

    I find going to the eye doctor annoying, but I don't hate it. My problem is that our vision coverage is terrible. It only covers one visit every 24 months, and it only ever covers glasses OR contacts. I realized too late last time that I should have ordered a 2 year supply of contacts, but I had years where my prescription changed every year so I'm still stuck in a "order only a year supply" mentality. Next year, I'll know better. Also, my prescription is -5.00 and -5.25 so kudos to you. haha

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